Project Wolf
by Fisuas
Summary: Oh, this is about another Manticore project, it is the team that was supposed to bring the X-5's back, knwo they are going to start teaming up to take down Manticore. It starts off just before where the finale left off so I can do whatever and not have to
1. The Orders

Chapter 8  
  
  
It took us about an hour of beautiful Wyoming landscape to get to the small run down restaurant. I looked at the lady at the counter when all of us walked in. It was one of surprise and joy. She acted as if she hadn't had a customer in forever. I sat down with David.  
"So, what have you been doing other than tracking you X-5?" I asked.  
"Well, I got a job as a phone salesperson."  
"Really, sounds boring."  
"Well, what are you doing?"  
"Bicycle delivery service."  
"Well, your job sounds major."  
"Major?"  
"Big, important, very much needed."  
"Oh."  
"Can I ask what you two would like?"  
"Um, what's the special?" I asked.  
"It's a double cheese burger, a large order of fries, and a large soda."  
"I'll have that and for the soda, what do you carry?"  
"Coke."  
"I'll have a coke then."  
"And you?"  
"I'll have the same."  
The waitress walked away and put our bill on the spinner.  
"So, where you going after this?" I asked.  
"Probably back to Portland."  
"That's where you were at?"  
"Yeah, I went there after the X-5 and was just basically hanging out."  
"Cool, how long have you been there?"  
"About a year or two now."  
"Cool."  
"So where you going?"  
"Seattle."  
"How come?"  
"Well, I have two steady jobs, of course only one pays, but that's all right."  
"Two jobs?"  
"Yeah, I have... a private employer I guess you could say."  
"And he doesn't pay ya?"  
"Nope, I don't mind though."  
"Whatever."  
"Excuse me you two, but can I talk with Jon for a little while?" Max said interrupting our conversation.  
"Yeah, take as long as you need." David said motioning with his arms.  
"Thanks... sorry I don't know your name."  
"David."  
"Thanks David, I'm..."  
"Max, I know, it was in the briefing."  
I walked over to Max's table and sat down.  
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"  
"I wanted to thank you, I mean, I thought I was gonna be in there forever, and I had to listen to that heartbeat."  
"Yeah, who's was that anyway?"  
"Mine and Zack's."  
"What?"  
"I was clinically dead, but Zack committed suicide to save me." Max began to cry.  
I motioned for Logan and I held her hand until he got there.  
"What's up?" He asked looking at Max and then me.  
"I think you would be better here for now." I suggested.  
Logan sat down next to Max and hugged her. I left them right after that. I walked over to my table to find David eating and my plate sitting there.  
"So what was up?"  
"Nothing."  
"Whatever."  
"What is up with you and whatever?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"You say it as a reply to everything."  
"Really, I guess I never really noticed it."  
"Oh well." I said taking a large bite out of my hamburger.  
"Whoa, when did that happen?"  
"What." I said with my food only partially chewed.  
"I remember you always eating in little tiny bites and taking as long as possible."  
"Your point, I was giving us sometime to relax."  
"What do you mean."  
"I mean, I was like Lydecker's son, and we didn't have to work until I was done eating, so I took as long as possible to eat so that you guys could take a break."  
"That's because in a way, you are my son."  
"What?" I said spinning around and seeing that Lydecker had heard most of the conversation.  
"Like Max, I took part of my DNA and put it into you, only with Max it was my wife's DNA ."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"I am part of you, you have my DNA in you."  
"You're telling me that I'm half you?"  
"Not half, more like a tenth, but still, yes."  
"I'm sickened by that, no wonder I was put in command, I was being shown favoritism."  
I stood up and asked for a bag to put my food in and paid my check. I stuffed what was left of my burger and my fries into the bag and gulped down the rest of my coke. Then I walked out the door, jumped on my bike, and sped off.  
I only stopped for gas on the way back to my apartment. When I got there Original Cindy was standing outside my door.  
"What." I said fairly agitated.  
"Boo gave me a call and gave me a heads up. She said your staying at our place tonight."  
"Why?"  
"Because, she said when she gets back she is gonna bring you back to earth."  
"And what makes you think I wont just go right through you and into my place?"  
"I know you wont hurt me."  
"And why not?"  
"Because you wont do anything to me without a cause."  
"Your right, I wouldn't be able to do anything to you if I tried, lead the way."  
"Don't think so, if you're behind me then you can sneak into your apartment, the door is over there and it is unlocked, so you lead the way."  
"Your good, now if you were only genetically engineered then you could be even better than me and Max."  
"Thank you, now move soldier."  
I walked over to the door and crashed on the couch.  
"Make yourself at home." Original Cindy said as she walked into the kitchen. I was out like a light. 


	2. The Acceptance

A week went by and I decided to go with it. I didn't need to face Lydecker's hand anymore. Like the old saying goes, 'you bite the hand that feeds you', only Lydecker never fed me, just commanded me.  
"I'm in." I told Logan.  
"All right, I'll page Max and get her over here."  
He went to his computer, typed in a couple numbers and then the message.  
"So, you are the Alpha wolf?" Logan asked.  
"Yeah, it sucks, every little thing is blamed on you."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah."  
"Why?"  
"Because you're the leader and you have to take all responsibility of your team even if it is a misunderstood order."  
"I'm not interrupting some male bonding between you to am I?" Max said strolling into the room.  
"Nope, we're all done."  
"So, you are joining us?"  
"Yeah."  
"You'll need a job, and I know just the place. I'll take you to work with me tomorrow."  
"Whatever."  
"You can stay at my place tonight, Original Cindy wont mind."  
"All right."  
"I'll start looking for a place for you." Logan said.  
"Actually, a place in our apartment building just opened up."  
"All right, I'll call in and put the down payment on, no need to pay me back."  
"I will pay you back, its part of my programming or something."  
"All right."  
Max and I walked out the door and took the elevator down. Then we exited the building. There was a motorcycle sitting there.  
"Nice."  
"You like it?"  
"Yeah, I'll have to get one for myself."  
"You wont get that kind of money where I'm thinking you'll be working."  
"Who needs money?" I said.  
"Ah, you think the sector police wont care."   
"Sector police wont find out."  
"Whatever. Hop on." She said.  
I got on and we took off. It took us about ten minutes to reach Max's apartment building.  
"Hey boo, who's this?"  
"A genetically engineered enemy from Manticore, turned good by the powers of a genetically engineered hottie, who was at first here to take me back to Manticore but now is on my side, its okay if he stays here for a couple nights right?"  
"Uh, sure."  
"Okay, I barely understood what you said and I'm a genetically engineered human with acute senses, I can only imagine what's going through her head." I said.  
"So, you two aren't, ho hum, are you?"   
"No." We both answered.  
"Okay."  
"I'm Sean." I said introducing myself.  
"Well, I'm Original Cindy."  
"I guess I can get used to it."  
"What to go to the bar and chill?" Max asked.  
"Sure why not."  
"Oh, so you know, Original Cindy here is the only one that knows our secret."  
"Other than Logan."  
"Right."  
"Okay."  
Max, Original Cindy, and I all walked to a bar not far from the apartment building.  
"Hey guys."  
"Hello all, who is the new guy?"  
"An old friend of mine." Max said.  
"Hello."  
"Greetings, my name is Herbal."  
"Hi, I'm Herbal's translator Sketchy."  
"Check her out." Sketchy said following a women with his eyes.  
"I'm not some obsessed pervert."  
"What brings you to the lowly city of Seattle?." Herbal asked with a conspicuous voice.  
"I'm not sure, I knew Max and that she lived here, so I followed her."  
"Want a beer?" Max asked.  
"Sure."  
Max walked to the counter and ordered.  
"So you two a couple?" Sketchy asked.  
"No, just friends, I don't exactly look for girls until a certain time." I said thinking possibly I'd given away to much information.  
"Okay, whatever."  
"Here ya go." Max said giving me my beer.  
"Thanks."  
I opened it and sipped at it.  
"So, you any good at pool?" Max asked.  
"Max, he's new, don't embarrass him." Sketchy said.  
"Well, I've got to depart for now, see you next sunrise?"  
"Yeah see ya Herbal." Sketchy said.  
"I'll take you on." I replied to Max's offer.  
"All right."  
We walked to one of the pool tables and put the money in.  
"You break." Max said when she got the balls set up.  
"You sure?" I confirmed.  
"Yep."  
I chalked up my stick. I lined up the shot and hit the cue ball. There were only two stripes that went in the holes and the other five and the eight ball went right next to the holes. The cue ball went right next to the opposite corner of the eight ball. All of the solid balls went into impossible spots.  
"You want to forfeit?" I asked Max.  
"No, I'll come back somehow."  
"I doubt it."  
I went to the cue ball again and hit it one of the corner balls. It ricocheted of that ball in a straight line, it knocked the side ball in and the other corner ball, it went at a ninety degree angle towards the opposite corner ball then at a ninety degree angle towards the eight ball, on its way it knocked in the other side ball.  
"Eight ball corner pocket." I called it just before the eight ball was knocked in.  
"Nice." Max complimented.  
"Thanks."  
I finished my beer and sat back down.  
"This is an odd feeling." I said to Max as the others went back up to get some more beers.  
"What." She asked.  
"This friendship and company and everything. We were taught back at Manticore that only our teammates and our commanders were our friends. This contradicts it all."  
"Yeah, you'll eventually cross over with us." She said laughing.  
"Whatever you say, you've been completely free since you were nine, I was only released then to find you."  
"Let's get out of here, I wouldn't be surprised if Logan was about to page me."  
"Where's the impound?"  
"About a mile away, why?"  
"I need wheels."  
"All right, meet me at Logan's. I'll wait there for you. If you aren't back within a hour I'm coming after you."  
"All right."  
I walked out the bar and started down the street.  



	3. The Mission

Chapter 3  
  
  
"Okay, up we go." I said jumping to the top of a building from the fire escape.  
I jumped from roof to roof until I spotted the impound lot. I jumped towards it.  
"Okay, I need the keys and then the bike." I said to myself.  
I jumped the fence and walked into the building.  
"You guys really need to lock your doors."  
I went through the drawers and took any money I found.  
"No keys." I looked through a doorway and spotted a large safe.  
I walked over to it and started listening to the dial.  
Click...Click...Click.  
"Got it." I said.  
I opened it and spotted the keys and a large wad of money.  
"Thank you." I put the money in my pocket. Then I started through the drawers of keys.  
"Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles." I said opening the drawer,   
"This one looks good." I said looking at the profile, "Sector police took it for no reason, perfect condition, item number 4938M." I took the key and walked out.  
"Grrrrrrrr." I heard for behind me as I closed the door.  
I turned around and saw a large Doberman Pincher standing in my way.  
"Grrrrrrrr." I returned while giving him some instinctive glare.  
The dog ran off into the lot.  
"Now for the bike." I said starting towards the section.  
"4935, 4936, 4937, 4938 my new bike."  
I walked it towards the gate. I opened the gate and walked the bike through. I turned back around and closed the gate.  
I inserted the key and turned it. The cycle purred as the engine started.  
I hopped on and took off.  
I drove over to Logan's.  
"Hello." I said as I walked in.  
"Oh, um, hi Jon." Logan said kind of panicky   
"Am, I interrupting something?"  
"No, nothing." Max said.  
"Actually we were just talking about the down payment on your apartment." Logan informed me.  
"Oh how much do I owe you?"  
"Nothing, use it to pay the rent and any repairs for the bike you stole."  
"How'd you know?"  
"Max told me."  
"Oh."  
"Well, here, you're gonna need this."  
"A pager?"  
"Yeah, that's how I get a hold of ya."  
"Okay."  
"Now, I've got a broadcast to do so, if you would excuse me."  
"Come on." Max said as she followed Logan.  
Logan typed in a bunch of stuff on his keyboard and then looked at a video camera. There were a bunch of monitors positioned around him.  
"This is a freedom streaming video. This is the last free voice in the city. This broadcast can not be traced. This is a military base of the coast of Washington. It was first made in case of attack from the Soviet Union. But since the flash it is only used as a tourist attraction. It was condemned about a year ago from a carbon monoxide leak. After the Carbon Monoxide was cleared out it was said to be left vacant. Earlier today you could see large billows of smoke coming from the smoke stacks. This obviously means it is not vacant. Thank you, goodbye."  
"So, we get to go into the base and do what?" Max asked.  
"There are some discs in there that were left by my late uncle, the one that produced the hover drones, they contain all the plans for the hover drones and if the plans are in the wrong hands we are screwed. It has the plans from the assassination drones."  
"That's good to know."  
"So, we go in, steal the discs."  
"Then delete all files off the mainframe that contain information about the hover drones." I said.  
"Looks like I only have to tell you how to do it."  
"So what do we do?"  
"The discs are here. The entrance is here. There are no more boats going to the base."  
"We'll swim." Max said.  
"I have no idea what's inside there."  
"Cool, I like a good surprise." I said with a smile.  
"Well, you want us to go tonight or tomorrow night?" Max asked.  
"Up to you, I can't help much anyways."  
"Want to tonight?" She asked me.  
"Sure."  
"All right, see ya."  
We walked out and hopped on our bikes.  
"Not bad." She said looking over my bike.  
"Lets check out how it runs."  
I revved it up and took off. I slowed down a bit to wait for Max, but when she caught up we took off. It took us about twenty minutes to get to the beach.  
"You see it!" I yelled over our engines.  
She nodded yes.  
We parked our bikes and walked to the shore.  
"Okay, we infiltrate and get to the discs before bedtime." I joked.  
"We need signals, what did they train you for basic commands at Manticore?" She asked.  
I went through most of them.  
"Same ones."  
"Really, you would have thought they would have been more original."  
"Not really."  
"Well, let's go." I dove into the water.  
It took us about ten minutes of swimming underwater to get to the base.  
"Been awhile since I had a good swim." I said quietly on shore.  
"Move out." Max ordered. It was odd, I wasn't used to taking orders, just giving them.  
We crept towards the building. It reminded me of the seawall that the Germans built to stop the Allies during D-Day in World War One.  
We got to the entrance and there was a password that we needed. Max took a compact makeup mirror from her jacket.  
"We don't have time for that now." I said not knowing her plan.  
She took the applier and gently blew the powder onto the keypad.  
"Oh." I said as the fingerprints became visible.  
She hit the numbers and the door slid open. We walked in and then took a left.  
I looked around the corner and gave the signal for five guards, two looking our way, three not.  
Max acknowledged.  
I ran to the other hallway and looked at Max. We both nodded and charged. I took out the first guard looking at us. Then I kicked the other guard in the neck and he fell to the ground. Max kicked the third guard in the back and I punched him in the back on his way down. I kicked the gun from one of the guards and kicked him in the chest as Max finished off the fifth guard. I looted one of the guards of his gun, his cardkey and some keys that I threw to Max.  
"Good job."  
We ran around the corner and found ourselves face to snout with about six guard dogs. There were Doberman Pinchers, German Shepards, and Rottweilers.  
"What now?" Max asked.  
"This, grrrrrrrr." I said growling at the dogs. They all ran off.  
"What did you tell them?" She asked.  
"I'm not sure, but it was instinctive."  
We started creeping down the halls. We found a locked door.  
"Maybe this will work." I said holding up the keycard I took.  
I swiped it and the door slid open. There was a group of people all tied together around a bunch of chairs.  
"Ah, Sean, I knew you would get her." A woman with short blonde hair said stepping out of a doorway.  
"It was a trap." Max said scowling at me and creeping backwards.  
"Your right." I said walking over to the woman.  
"Why..."  
"But, I'm not part of it." I punched one of the ladies guards in the stomach and he doubled over.  
"Get them." The blonde yelled.  
Suddenly a familiar face and an unfamiliar face swung down from the rafters.  
"Brin?" Max said questioningly.  
"Jake!" I said in surprise.  
"So, I see you failed your objective again Alpha Wolf." Jake replied. Max and Brin were having their own fight/conversation.  
"What are you talking about Jake?"  
"Its Alpha Wolf now, and I'm talking about Greg and now this. You failed to return with your entire team and you failed to return the X-5 subject that was lost."  
"Don't bring Greg into this."  
"Fine, bring it." He said.  
He punched at me and I leaned backwards. His momentum carried him around where I kicked him in the back straight into the guard I had punched earlier. He found his bearings and charged at me. I kicked him in the chest when he got into range. Then he kicked one of my knees and I fell to the ground. He used an uppercut on me as I fell. I got my balance back in time to block one of Jake's blows and punch him in the jaw.  
"Fall back." The woman ordered.  
Max and I stood in battle ready position as Brin and Jake moved back towards a personal vehicle.  
"Gas the place." The woman said as the small personal vehicle took the three away.  
"We gotta get these people out of here." Max said.  
"Lets hurry."  
I ran up to one of the chairs and grabbed the ropes tightly in each hand. Then I pulled them apart. Slowly the rope started breaking. Finally it snapped.  
"Hurry please, get out of here." I said as I ran to one of the cabinets. I flung it open and grabbed all the discs. I went to the next one and did the same. Max caught my plan and got to three of them while I got another two.  
"Lets move!" Max yelled as she ran out the door.  
I ran after her at full speed. All of the people were outside when we exited.  
"There are boats on the shore for you people, thank you for all of your cooperation." I said as people got on the boats.  
"Well, lets swim."  
I dove in and started back on the swim home.  
  



	4. The Talk and Trouble

Chapter 4  
  
  
  
I drove my bike home and Max and I walked into her apartment. I figured that I'd move in tomorrow than at three 'o clock in the morning.  
"You can take a shower first." I told Max as we walked in.  
She strolled into the bathroom and I heard the shower start.  
"So, where've you two been all night?" Original Cindy asked rubbing her eyes as she walked from her bedroom.  
"Working." I told her as I sat down on the couch.  
"Where's Boo?" She asked.  
"In the shower." I said as I yawned.  
Original Cindy started up some coffee and it finished just as Max walked out.  
"You might want to wait awhile, I think I used all our hot water."  
"That's all right, where are the towels?" I asked as I walked in.  
"In the closet, top door on the right." She said.  
"Thanks." I said as I shut the door.  
I got out a towel and set it next to the sink. I started the shower and got undressed. I got in the shower.  
"She was right, there is no warm water left." I said when the cold water hit my body. I put some shampoo in my hand and washed my hair. I did a quick scrub down and then I shut the water off. I reached out for the towel and grabbed it. I toweled off and put my clothes back on. I stepped out of the bathroom as I was toweling my hair.  
"Where do you want me to put this?" I asked Max.  
"In the hamper just inside the door."  
I threw the towel inside the hamper and combed my hair down with my fingers.  
"Any coffee left?" I asked.  
"A little." Max said handing me a mug.  
I sipped at it.  
"Real."  
"Yeah, one of my friends is really big on the real coffee."  
"I'll have to meet her."  
We sat for a while talking about being free, and then Manticore and a little small talk.  
"Where do you want to sleep?" She asked me.  
"On the couch is fine."  
"Whatever." Suddenly she started going into seizures.  
"What's going on?" I asked.  
"I'm having a seizures, there is some Tryptophan in the medicine cabinet."  
I ran to the bathroom and flung open the medicine cabinet.  
"Tryptophan, tryptophan, tryptophan!" I said holding up the bottle.  
I ran back to max and gave her the bottle. She poured some pills into her hand and swallowed them.  
"Now, what's going on." I said as she started to shake less and less.  
"It's a glitch in our programming, most of us go into seizures every once in a while, I'm not sure why. But tryptophan helps to stop the seizures."  
"Oh, doesn't happen to us, must be something with the entire cat DNA thing."  
"Must be."  
"Well, I'm gonna hit the sack." She said walking towards her room.  
"Night."  
"Yeah."  
I laid down on the couch and fell asleep.  
  



	5. The Job

  
Chapter 5  
  
  
When I woke up no one was awake yet. I walked over to the cupboards and looked through them.  
"Seasoning salt, hmm, any eggs?" I asked looking into the refrigerator.   
I took a carton out and looked in it.   
"Five eggs, I'll buy them some more after work." I took a couple and cracked them over a pan. Before I would flip them I'd put some seasoning salt on them. I fried all five and put them on a plate.  
"Boo, you making breakfast."  
"Nope, I am."  
"What, I never seen a man make breakfast in my entire life."  
"I was trained in taking care of myself, you wanna wake Max up, I don't want to walk in on her in, her, yeah."  
"Sure." She walked into Max's room.  
"Hey boo, wake up, that guy you brought home made eggs for breakfast."  
"What, oh, Sean."  
"Yeah him."  
I heard some rustling and she walked out with Original Cindy.  
"Hey, those were the last of our eggs." Max said looking at how many eggs I cooked.  
"You get up late." I said.  
"Hey, I was up talking with you all night."  
"Here." I said with a chuckle handing her ten bucks, " There's your eggs."  
"I was just joking."  
"Well, then you get ten bucks for being a joker."  
"Thanks." Original Cindy said grabbing the money from Max.  
"Well, you guys gonna eat?" I asked grabbing an egg.  
"Sure." Max said grabbing a plate and putting an egg on.  
"Which way did you make 'em?" Original Cindy asked.  
"Three of them sunny-side up, two of the over easy."  
"Okay, where is a over easy?"  
"Right there." I said pointing to one.  
"Okay."  
We ate quietly. When we were finished Max looked at the clock and almost choked.  
"We start work in ten minutes!" She said grabbing her coat and bag, she ran out the door followed by Original Cindy and I. Original Cindy and I grabbed our bags on the way out.  
"Hey, you guys are late, and who's he!" A man yelled as we ran in.  
"Normal, this guy needs a job."  
"If he can make deliveries he's hired."  
"I can make deliveries, trust me."  
"Fine you hired, pick up a bike and take this to west elm, Max, this one goes just down the street, show him where to go."  
"Tell me where to get a bike." I told Max.  
"Just around the corner are all the unused bikes."  
I walked around the corner and saw a bike I liked. I took it off the rack and walked back around the corner. Max was waiting there with her bike.  
"Come on." She said putting her package in her bag.  
I did the same and we took off.  
"So, that guy seems like an ass." I said after a couple minutes.  
"Yeah, you get used to it."  
"I'm sure I will."   
"Here's west elm, and there's you drop off point." She said pointing at a door and kept riding to deliver her package.  
I walked over to the door and knocked on it.  
"Yes?" The person that came to the door asked.  
"Are you Mr. Tobias?" I asked.  
"Yes I am."  
"Well, I'm from the Jam Pony Bicycle Delivery Service and I have this package for you, sign here please."  
"Thank you." The man said walking away.  
I walked back to my bike and waited for Max.  
"Sean." I heard her yell.  
I jumped on my bike and peddled towards her voice. I got there to see a group of about thirteen men from Manticore with paralysis guns pointed at her.  
"Hey, over here." I said.   
Five of the men looked as I charged and began throwing punches. This was enough of a distraction for Max to start, she kicked one guard right under the chin and then another in the nose. The remaining three guards gathered their kinsmen and ran off.  
"Odd."  
"What?"  
"They've never attacked in broad daylight."  
"Well, its seems to me that Lydecker isn't in control anymore."  
"Yeah, back when they kidnapped Tinga, Lydecker seemed out of the loop."  
"Who, What?"  
"I'll explain on the way back."  
We rode off and she explained how one of the X-5's had a kid and Lydecker wanted the kid and Tinga but when Tinga sacrificed herself for the kid they tried to capture the kid too and Lydecker didn't know what was going on.  
"So Tinga is now being held captive and we don't know where?"  
"Sorta, Zack's out there on recon."  
"Zack?"  
"Our leader."  
"Zack." I said with disgust.  
"Yeah, what about him."  
"Nothing."  
We got back to work and had a couple more deliveries. After work we went over to Max's place to hang out.  
"Well, I better go move in." I said walking out the door.  
"Good luck."  
I walked down to the front office and introduced myself to the landlord.  
"So you're the lucky sap?"  
"Sure." I said with a smile.  
"Its one thousand a month."  
"Okay."  
"That's not including electricity, water, and telephone."  
"Okay."  
"Now, I need your name."  
"Sean Alteroth."  
"Alteroth, how do ya spell it?"  
"A, l, t, e, r, o, t, h." I spelled it for him.  
"All right, here are you keys, your number 392."  
"Thanks." I said walking out the door.  
I walked up the stairs, I had to cross Max and Original Cindy's room and mine was five doors down. I walked and saw that it was completely furnished, it wasn't bad taste either. I ran downstairs quick to clear that up.  
"Um, why is my place completely furnished?"  
"Some snotty rich kid lived there and moved back win with his parents, didn't bother taking any of his stuff so you get it."  
"Oh, cool." I ran back up to my place and walked in and took a tour. I king size waterbed, a plush couch, refrigerator, kinda filled with food, I wasn't sure how old, over all not bad though.  
"Well, I think I'll take a nap and try out this new waterbed."  
I laid down and almost instantly fell asleep.  
  



	6. The Team

Chapter 6  
  
  
I woke up about three hours later. I looked over at my pager and noticed that there were about ten messages on it. It was Logan over and over. He was telling me to call him.  
I walked over to the phone and called.  
"Hello?"  
"Logan, this is Sean, what do you want?"  
"Yeah, well, I was gonna ask you to come on this mission but we're already there so just get your team together and you can help when we get back."  
"All right, I can do that."  
The team is supposed to check in with me every month on the cell phone I was given and tonight was the night.  
About ten minutes later my cell rang.  
"Hello?"  
"Hey Sean, its me David, I'm checking in."  
"What's you position?"  
"Portland Oregon."  
"All right, come to Seattle, there are some new orders."  
"All right, I'm on my way."  
I gave the directions to Logan's place.  
The others called about five minutes apart.  
Ring. My phone went off.  
"Hello."  
"Hey Sean, you get a hold of everyone?"  
"Yeah they're on they're way."  
"All right, so are we."  
"I'll book over to your place and wait for you there."  
"All right, Bling should be there."  
"Bling? Oh, the guy I threw into the wall."  
"Yeah, he usually doesn't hold a grudge, but you might want to apologize anyway."  
"All right, see you when you get back." I said as I hung up the phone.  
I went out front and took off and got my bike. I looked on the accelerator and noticed a note.  
  
Hey Sean,   
Word of advice, next time I suggest you bring you bike into your room.  
  
Max.  
  
"Whatever." I started the engine and took off towards Logan's. When I got there I walked in and took the elevator to the penthouse. I knocked on the door once.  
"Who's there?"  
"Sean."  
"Who?"  
"Okay, look I'm sorry for throwing into a wall but come on, Logan told me to wait here."  
"Oh, its you."  
The door opened and I walked in.  
"Hey Bling."  
"Don't touch anything."  
"Man, Logan told me that you don't hold a grudge."  
"Well, I'm tired of intruders kicking my butt."  
"What?"  
"Max did the same thing, she tried to steal something and I went to stop her and she took me out."  
"Oh, I'm sorry."  
"So, what you doing now?"  
"Helping Max and Logan, do you know if they got a thing going?"  
"Yeah, you should have seen them before they left, they were going at it."  
"Really?" I said kinda chuckling.  
"Yeah."  
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.  
"Who's there?"  
"X6589."  
"David."  
"Yes it is, I've got three other here with me, so you gonna let us in?"  
I walked over to the door and opened it.  
"David, James, Katie, and Karusa, what's up?"  
"I don't know, you tell us."  
"Well, lets see, four X-5's went to take down Manticore, they are headed back right now, if they need to return we will assist them."  
"What, our mission is to take them down!" James yelled.  
"Yeah, and then live in a cage for the rest of our lives, Manticore doesn't care about us, they just wanted us to follow our mission and then live in cages, do you want to live like that or be free without worry of ever being followed?" I explained.  
"He has a point, there would be no more training mission, whatever food we want, freedom to do whatever, and it would be a lot easier." David agreed.  
"Right, so why not take Manticore out and live a free life?"  
"All right, I'm in." David said holding out his hand.  
"Me too." Karusa said repeating David.  
"Whatever." Karusa followed.  
"No."  
"Come on James, we can't try to live our lives normally with a company breathing down our necks." Katie said putting her hand out.  
"Fine, you want to follow Manticore command, X6493, I order you to disown Manticore and follow your conscience!"  
"What?"  
"As your leader, I am giving you the choice of leaving Manticore and following your own path, so what do you say Jim?"  
"All right."  
"Cool."  
I put my hand on top of all the others and we all threw our hands up.  
"All right, when the other arrive you guys explain the mission, I'm gonna go make a phone call."  
"Okay."  
I walked over to Bling.  
"Nice reunion, what ya need."  
"A way to find out where Logan is."  
"Oh, you know how to hack into high-tech satellite systems?"  
"Sure, who doesn't?"  
"Me."  
"All right, show me the computer."  
We walked into a makeshift office that looked more like a cubicle.  
"Okay, time to hack."  
I sat down and began accessing satellite systems that were now focused on the United States.  
"Okay, I need a distinguishing feature to look for."  
"Well, it is an old rusty van."  
"Any high tech equipment?"  
"Yeah, cameras, com-devices, Logan's cell."  
"That's it!"  
"What?"  
"I can use Logan's cell phone to track him, get him on the phone quick."  
"All right."  
Bling walked out of the room and got a cell phone, he walked back in with it pressed to his head.  
"Hey Logan, um we're trying to find your position, hold on a sec."  
"Plug this into the bottom of the cell." I said handing him a cord.  
He plugged it in and continued talking.  
I began typing furiously.  
"Got it, he is in, Idaho, he should be here within a couple hours.  
"All right, lets hope your pals get here quick then."  
I went back out with my 'gang' and talked as other came in the room.  
  



	7. The Rescue

Chapter 7  
  
  
Two hours later Logan walked in and saw all fifteen of the sixteen people of my group sitting there.  
"Wow, you guys got here quick."  
"Hey Logan, Logan this is the group, guys this is Logan."  
"Hey Sean, can I talk with you alone for a second?"  
"Sure." I said following him into the kitchen.  
"All right, there are a couple problems, Max and Zack aren't here, they're back at Manticore, Max was shot and 'killed' but I don't think she's dead, I don't know what happened to Zack, so I think we should go back after her."  
"Umm, I have one question, how are you walking, Max told me you were paralyzed."  
"I'll explain later, come on, we've gotta hurry."  
"Yeah."  
"Let's go."  
I walked back out and explained the mission to my team.  
"Ready, lets book."  
We all piled into the elevator.  
When we got down Lydecker was waiting for us.  
"What are you doing here?" I said with a snarl.  
"Manticore wants me dead."  
"Well that's one thing we agree on."  
"Hey guys, he helped us get into Manticore." Logan said in his defense.  
"Yeah and probably helped kill Max too."  
"No, I had nothing to do with that."  
"Whatever, you guys lead the way, we'll follow." David replied.  
We all hopped on/into our assortment of vehicles and followed the old rusty van down the road.  
I took us about ten hours of driving, stopping for gas, and pit stops for us to reach Gillette, Wyoming.  
"All right, we go in, find Max, get her out and get away as fast as possible." I commanded.  
"Okay, if she's alive they'll have her in sick bay."  
"I know where it is." I said.  
"There are X-7's in there, they are the ones that almost eradicated the X-5's." Lydecker said.  
"They are dangerous and not afraid to attack, be careful." Logan told us.  
"All right, move out."  
We all ran towards the fence and jumped it. We were all ready assigned directions and groups. We all fanned out and ran towards the facility.  
"Hey David, so you know, I want them to know we're back."  
"Yeah, want to trip the alarm?"  
"No, that's what we did when we jumped that fence, laser perimeter, I say we take out the ventilation and fill it with smoke, gas 'em out."  
"All right, but first lets get the girl."  
"Right." We went to the front door and opened it with the key card Lydecker gave us. We ran down the hall towards the sick bay. On the way we passed our old room, now full of X-7's. We kept running towards sick bay. When we got there, Max was strapped down having to listen to what sounded like a heart beat.  
"Stop it, stop it, I cant take it anymore!"  
I ran over to the equipment and kicked it over.  
"Sean?" Max asked all sweaty.  
"Yeah, we're here to get you out of here, there is fifteen of us total, let's go." I said taking some clothes out of the bag I brought.  
"Thanks."  
"David and I will guard outside while you change." I said as we walked out. I shut the door and stood in battle ready position.  
"Thanks guys." Max said walking out the door.  
"This way." I said running down the hall.  
We ran until we were outside. When I walked out I took a flare gun out and all my flares, I shot one off and threw all the others into the ventilation duct all lit.  
"What was that for?" Max asked.  
"I'm making sure this place goes down for good."  
"Lets go!" I heard one of my team mates yell from the woods.  
We ran towards the fence. When we got there everyone was on the other side with an X-7 opponent.  
"I'm getting back at these guys." Max said jumping the fence and landing on one of the X-7's that slightly resembled her facial design.  
"Lets do it!" I yelled following her example.  
I landed and did a side kick and hit one of the X-7's in the face. I heard his nose break under the impact. He got back up with blood streaming down his face. I punched at him and he blocked it and kicked me in the stomach. I doubled over and preformed an uppercut on the way up. This caused him to fly approximately ten yards into a tree where his clothes got stuck and hung him, eventually suffocating him.  
I looked around and saw everyone finishing off their opponents and walking towards me.  
"Lets go guys." I said as I started walking towards the van and our vehicles.  
Suddenly I heard a large explosion and as I looked back I saw a burning wing of the building.  
"Good. " I said as I turned back around.  
I jogged over to where Logan was standing.  
"What was that explosion?" Logan asked.  
"The explosion of the west wing."  
"What?" Lydecker asked.  
"I threw some flares into a vent and the west wing exploded."  
"But, that contained all the files." Lydecker whined.  
"So, Manticore is done, no more, gone, you can leave, forever, never to return, goodbye."  
"Your wrong, Manticore is still around, that was just a branch off it, there is an entire corporation, and also the government is gonna want to clean this mess up, and get rid of anything Manticore formed.."  
"Oh."  
"Lets talk about this later, I'm hungry, they didn't even feed me." Max interrupted.  
"Yeah, I'm sure we're all hungry, right guys!" I yelled out.  
"Yeah, we're starved." David said back.  
"What, how did they hear us?"  
"They are genetically engineered, duh."  
"Well, I saw a truckers restaurant about fifty miles away." Logan suggested.  
"Sound good to me, all right, we're moving out, follow the van to where we can eat and then go your separate ways." I ordered my team.  
I jumped on my cycle and waited for the van to get in front of me. 


	8. The Trip Home

Chapter 8  
  
  
"What do you mean?" It took us about an hour of beautiful Wyoming landscape to get to the small run down restaurant. I looked at the lady at the counter when all of us walked in. It was one of surprise and joy. She acted as if she hadn't had a customer in forever. I sat down with David.  
"So, what have you been doing other than tracking you X-5?" I asked.  
"Well, I got a job as a phone salesperson."  
"Really, sounds boring."  
"Well, what are you doing?"  
"Bicycle delivery service."  
"Well, your job sounds major."  
"Major?"  
"Big, important, very much needed."  
"Oh."  
"Can I ask what you two would like?"  
"Um, what's the special?" I asked.  
"It's a double cheese burger, a large order of fries, and a large soda."  
"I'll have that and for the soda, what do you carry?"  
"Coke."  
"I'll have a coke then."  
"And you?"  
"I'll have the same."  
The waitress walked away and put our bill on the spinner.  
"So, where you going after this?" I asked.  
"Probably back to Portland."  
"That's where you were at?"  
"Yeah, I went there after the X-5 and was just basically hanging out."  
"Cool, how long have you been there?"  
"About a year or two now."  
"Cool."  
"So where you going?"  
"Seattle."  
"How come?"  
"Well, I have two steady jobs, of course only one pays, but that's all right."  
"Two jobs?"  
"Yeah, I have... a private employer I guess you could say."  
"And he doesn't pay ya?"  
"Nope, I don't mind though."  
"Whatever."  
"Excuse me you two, but can I talk with Jon for a little while?" Max said interrupting our conversation.  
"Yeah, take as long as you need." David said motioning with his arms.  
"Thanks... sorry I don't know your name."  
"David."  
"Thanks David, I'm..."  
"Max, I know, it was in the briefing."  
I walked over to Max's table and sat down.  
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"  
"I wanted to thank you, I mean, I thought I was gonna be in there forever, and I had to listen to that heartbeat."  
"Yeah, who's was that anyway?"  
"Mine and Zack's."  
"What?"  
"I was clinically dead, but Zack committed suicide to save me." Max began to cry.  
I motioned for Logan and I held her hand until he got there.  
"What's up?" He asked looking at Max and then me.  
"I think you would be better here for now." I suggested.  
Logan sat down next to Max and hugged her. I left them right after that. I walked over to my table to find David eating and my plate sitting there.  
"So what was up?"  
"Nothing."  
"Whatever."  
"What is up with you and whatever?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"You say it as a reply to everything."  
"Really, I guess I never really noticed it."  
"Oh well." I said taking a large bite out of my hamburger.  
"Whoa, when did that happen?"  
"What." I said with my food only partially chewed.  
"I remember you always eating in little tiny bites and taking as long as possible."  
"Your point, I was giving us sometime to relax."  
"What do you mean."  
"I mean, I was like Lydecker's son, and we didn't have to work until I was done eating, so I took as long as possible to eat so that you guys could take a break."  
"That's because in a way, you are my son."  
"What?" I said spinning around and seeing that Lydecker had heard most of the conversation.  
"Like Max, I took part of my DNA and put it into you, only with Max it was my wife's DNA ."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"I am part of you, you have my DNA in you."  
"You're telling me that I'm half you?"  
"Not half, more like a tenth, but still, yes."  
"I'm sickened by that, no wonder I was put in command, I was being shown favoritism."  
I stood up and asked for a bag to put my food in and paid my check. I stuffed what was left of my burger and my fries into the bag and gulped down the rest of my coke. Then I walked out the door, jumped on my bike, and sped off.  
I only stopped for gas on the way back to my apartment. When I got there Original Cindy was standing outside my door.  
"What." I said fairly agitated.  
"Boo gave me a call and gave me a heads up. She said your staying at our place tonight."  
"Why?"  
"Because, she said when she gets back she is gonna bring you back to earth."  
"And what makes you think I wont just go right through you and into my place?"  
"I know you wont hurt me."  
"And why not?"  
"Because you wont do anything to me without a cause."  
"Your right, I wouldn't be able to do anything to you if I tried, lead the way."  
"Don't think so, if you're behind me then you can sneak into your apartment, the door is over there and it is unlocked, so you lead the way."  
"Your good, now if you were only genetically engineered then you could be even better than me and Max."  
"Thank you, now move soldier."  
I walked over to the door and crashed on the couch.  
"Make yourself at home." Original Cindy said as she walked into the kitchen. I was out like a light. 


	9. The Talk

Chapter 9  
  
  
When I woke up Max was sitting on me bouncing up and down trying to wake me up.  
"Stop, stop it, that starts to hurt."  
"I've only been doing it for ten minutes."   
"Hey, I like my sleep when I can get it."  
"Anyways, what was going on last night, you bolted like death was chasing you."  
"Well, you would to if you were just told that you had Lydecker DNA."  
"What, aw, that is just sick. Its bad enough I've got his wife's DNA."  
"Yeah, he told me about that to."  
"Man, well, Original Cindy is covering for us for the third day, so we can just hang out or whatever."  
"Huh?"  
"I figured, since we met, we haven't been able to talk."  
"Your point, I can't say I'm a very talkative, or at least a person that talks about themselves, type of person."  
"So, I like to talk."  
So Max talked for about an hour. Then she started talking about how she went without her 'family' and stuff.  
"You know, we're kinda like family." She brought up.  
"How do you figure?"  
"Well, we're kinda like cousin's, or maybe even kinda like half siblings, I mean, You have Lydecker DNA and I have his wife so I guess, kinda maybe."  
"You know, your looking kinda tired."  
"I am."  
"Well, you know, I wouldn't mind a little more sleep myself."  
"I don't want to move."  
"Now, don't take this the wrong way, but who says we have to, you aren't all that heavy, and the couch is fairly large, and we both see each other as family so lets just fall asleep." Before I was even finished she was asleep. I just closed my eyes and fell asleep too.  
  
  
"What are you two doing?" Original Cindy asked incredibly surprised.  
"Huh?" I said looking around and noticing Max with her head laying on my shoulder.  
"I said, what are you two doing."  
"Nothing, hey Max, wake up, we were both exhausted and we were sitting here and just fell asleep, Max, wake up."  
"What, oh, what time is it?"  
"5:00."  
"What, oh man, where's my pager?"  
"Here is mine."  
"How many?"  
"Only 13."  
"Oh man, he is going to be so mad."  
"Really?"  
"Yes really, Boo, sorry to wake and run but."  
"I know, duty calls."  
Max and I walked out the door, I ran to the basement and grabbed my motorcycle from where I parked it.  
"At least its better than last time."  
"Yeah, I got your note."  
"Let's go."  
We drove off through the streets of Seattle. There were children playing in alleys that, before the flash, would've been considered bad territory but was now everyday life. There were parents walking their kids down the street, and there were either prostitutes or drug dealers on every corner. But other than that it was okay.  
"Where were you two?" Logan asked when we walked into his penthouse.  
"Sleeping." Max shot back.  
"I called Jam Pony and Normal said you were out sick."  
"Hey, exhaustion can be a sickness, many people have died from it." I replied.  
"Whatever, I have a job for each of you."  
"A split job, odd, never had two at once."  
"There hasn't been two of you at once before, anyway, it is critical that you take out both companies at once, they are other genetic labs, but they are hooked up with the implants."  
"You aren't talking about the implants that boost physical abilities are you?" I asked.  
"Where have you heard of 'em?"  
"Manticore, right before the escape of the X-5's a South African man came to talk to Lydecker, he was wanting some genetically engineered bodies to try these implant out on so Lydecker gave him some nomalies and he asked what was going on, that's when I found out."  
"Man, so, we have to take these places out now."  
"Yeah, I'm not going through that again." Max said.  
"What?"  
"Having one of those implants in my head."  
"You had one, why."  
"So I could kick the other implant groupies butts."  
"Okay, I'll dodge this story."  
"Anyway, we have to do this, this week, no later, they are experimenting on kids."  
"Now that's low."  
"Even for some crazed out idiot."  
"Yeah, so when ya gonna do it?"  
"Wednesday?"  
"Why not, I don't have anything going on." I replied.  
"All right, I'll meet you here at say 8:00, then we leave." Logan said.  
"All right, I'm gonna get some shut-eye." I said as I walked out the door.  
I hopped on my bike and drove to my apartment. When I got to the building I saw a flyer. There was a fighting tournament coming to Seattle. No guns, no knives or daggers, just hands. I figured it would be pretty cool for Max and I to sign up. The grand prize was 10000 dollars. I tore the flyer off the pole it was on and went to my room. I fell asleep the moment I hit my bed. 


End file.
